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LETTER 

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THE  CHURCH  PEOPLE  OF  AMERICA. 


BUILDINGS  NEAR  THE  SQUARE  IN  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO. 


New  York : 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  “LEAGUE  IN  AID  OF  THE  MEXICAN  BRANCH  OF 

THE  CHURCH.” 


CATHEDRAL  OF  THE  MEXICAN  BRANCH  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO. 


TO  THE 


CHURCH  PEOPLE 


IN  AMERICA. 


Mexico,  September ,  1878. 

Dear  Brethren  in  Christ: 

As  members  of  the  Anglican  Church  on  both  sides  of 
the  water,  and  who  are  deeply  interested  in  and  are  work¬ 
ing  for  the  Church  in  this  Republic;  as  those  who  have 
striven  against  fearful  opposition,  and  are  still  striving,  and 
hoping  and  praying,  spending  our  best  strength  and  life 
for  the  Master,  and  this  Branch  of  His  Church  Militant  on 
Earth;  we  are  deeply  solicitous  that  the  Church  in  our 
own  lands  should  know  fully  about  our  work,  its  history, 
and  its  present  condition  and  needs.  We  will  begin  with  a 
short  sketch  of  the  early  formation  of  this  Branch  of  the 
Church.  In  the  year  1864  a  former  Roman  Catholic  Pres¬ 
byter,  Francis  Ag  uilar,  together  with  a  few  laymen,  en¬ 
gaged  in  an  earnest  Christian  work  in  this  Capital,  and 
endeavored  to  organize  a  Branch  of  the  Church  in  the 
Republic  of  Mexico  that  should  maintain  the  Faith  in  its 
primitive  purity  and  integrity,  and  that  should  favor  the 
general  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  This  Church 
work  thus  commenced  was  afterward  carried  forward  with 
marvelous  power  by  another  former  Roman  Catholic  Pres¬ 
byter  by  the  name  of  Manuel  Aguas.  Francis  Aguilar  and 
Manuel  Aguas  have  both  died,  but  the  Mexican  Branch  of 
the  Church  still  works  on  for  the  Master  most  faithfully  and 
effectively.  It  is  not  the  work  of  man,  but  of  our  Triune 
God.  In  connection  with  this  Mexican  Branch  of  the 
Church  there  are  now  over  fifty  well-organized  congrega¬ 
tions,  while  it  has  memberships  awaiting  organization  in 
thirty  other  places  in  the  Republic.  It  has  magnificent 
former  Roman  Catholic  Church  buildings  in  this  Capital. 
It  has  established  eight  church  schools,  connected  with 
which  there  are  over  250  children,  100  of  which  are,  from 
absolute  necessity,  being  sheltered,  clothed,  and  fed  by  the 
Church.  It  has  an  ably  conducted  Theological  Seminary 


4 


with  thoroughly  qualified  professors,  and  seven  earnest 
students,  and  a  weekly  Church  paper,  edited  with  marked 
ability,  while  in  its  ministry  and  among  its  active  lay 
readers  and  other  workers,  there  are  men  of  very  high 
Christian  attainments  and  of  rare  power.  Its  membership 
consists  of  about  3,500.  The  faith,  Christian  enthusiasm, 
and  devotion  that  mark  the  public  services  and  labors  of 
this  Church,  remind  one  of  the  zeal  and  self-sacrifice  of 
the  early  Christians.  This  Mexican  Branch  of  the  Church 
has  been  saddened  by  tears,  wrung  from  terrible  sufferings 
and  by  the  life-bLood  of  many  whose  lives  have  been  laid 
down,  in  the  firmness  of  their  faith,  during  the  cruel  per¬ 
secutions  it  has  passed  through.  To  the  poor  the  Gospel 
has  been  preached  in  Mexico,  and  the  membership  of  this 
Church,  now  rich  in  faith ,  has  been  gathered  from  the  poor. 

Through  the  generous  gifts  of  a  few  Christians  in  the 
United  States,  it  has  by  God’s  blessing  been  enabled  to 
achieve  these  grand  results  for  the  Master.  A  glorious 
future  awaits  it,  incalculable  in  its  importance,  which  it 
will  be  powerless  to  enter  upon,  except  in  a  crippled  con¬ 
dition,  without  the  generous  help  of  our  brethren  in 
Christ  of  America.  In  faith  and  order  it  is  in  harmony  with 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States. 
Through  its  instrumentality,  Episcopalians  in  other  lands 
have  now  the  opportunity  of  doing  a  grand  work  for  Christ, 
in  this  nation  just  coming  out  of  its  superstition  and  •igno¬ 
rance.  The  question  now  to  be  pressed  home  upon  Epis¬ 
copalians  is  a  solemn  one  :  Shall  this  grand  opportunity  be 
made  use  of  or  lost? 

The  dangers  that  gather  round  this  precious  work  sadly 
threaten  it.  The  Romanists,  in  their  blind  and  bitter  hatred, 
are  lavishly  spending  their  money  to  crush  it.  Bravely 
has  it  kept  at  bay  those  who  have  so  lavishly  used  their 
wealth  against  it  for  years  past.  This  past  heroic  effort  to 
sustain  the  faith  and  order  of  Christ’s  Church  in  their  purity 
and  integrity  ;  its  Christian  triumphs  in  the  good  fight  of  the 
faith ;  its  well-founded  prospects  for  grand  future  useful¬ 
ness,  ought  to  thrill  the  hearts  of  all  who  love  our  Saviour, 
and  to  move  them  to  generous  efforts  in  its  behalf. 


5 


As  members  of  the  Anglican  Church  of  America  and 
England,  who  have  closely  watched  the  heroic  struggles  of 
this  sister  Church  in  Mexico,  and  shared  in  its  labors,  and 
who  keenly  realize  its  present  imminent  danger  from  lack 
of  sufficient  funds  to  carry  on  its  work,  and  from  the  utterly 
inadequate  aid  it  is  receiving  from  abroad,  we  unitedly  call 
upon  and  entreat,  for  the  love  of  Christ,  all  who  would  ex¬ 
tend  His  kingdom  on  earth,  to  put  forth  every  endeavor  to 
rescue  this  precious  Branch  of  Christ’s  Church  in  Mexico 
from  the  necessity  of  having  to  give  up  the  glorious  future, 
which  lies  ripe  for  the  harvest  before  it,  and  having  to  dis¬ 
band  a  large  portion  of  its  present  work.  Let  every  Sun¬ 
day-school  teacher  in  our  home  churches  endeavor  to 
interest  their  class  to  do  something  to  help  it  continue  its 
work.  Let  our  clergy  earnestly  endeavor  to  inform  their 
congregations  about  this  grand  Church  work,  its  past  tri¬ 
umphs,  its  present  opportunities  and  needs,  and  to  move 
them  to  generous  efforts  in  its  behalf.  Let  the  Mexican 
League,  organized  to  aid  it,  be  effectually  supported  by 
generous  contributions,  and  additional  laborers  joining  its 
ranks,  and  let  the  League  make  one  grand  effort  to  obtain 
subscriptions  payable  next  year,  that  shall  justify  the  For¬ 
eign  Committee  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  to 
make  an  adequate  appropriation  to  enable  us  to  continue 
•this  work. 

Mexico  seems  a  distant  country  to  most  of  our  church 
people,  and  as  many  of  the  readers  of  this  article  are  not 
able  to  come  to  this  beautiful  land  in  person,  we  invite 
them  to  visit  us  in  imagination,  to  take  a  stroll  with  us 
through  the  city,  and  to  rejoice  in  the  evidences  of  Chris¬ 
tian  work  which  one  sees  here.  We  will  start  from  one  of 
the  principal  squares  or  parks  of  the  city,  nearest  its  geo¬ 
graphical  center,  called  the  “Alameda.”  Taking  an  easterly 
course,  we  go  out  of  the  square  to  the  right,  and  enter  a 
street  called  the  “  Bridge  of  St.  Francis.”  No  street  here 
is  more  than  one  block  long,  every  block  being  considered 
a  separate  street  and  having  a  new  name.  Passing  one 
block,  then  we  enter  the  First  Street  of  St.  Francis.  Half 
way  along  this  street  to  the  right  we  pause  before  a  high 


6 


wall  and  an  arched  gateway  of  stone.  Looking  through 
the  spacious  gateway,  a  beautiful  garden  greets  the  eye, 
filled  with  trees,  shrubs,  and  bright-hued  flowers.  A  hand¬ 
some,  evenly-graded  walk,  some  twelve  feet  wide,  runs 
through  the  middle  of  it,  and  terminates  at  its  extremity 
at  a  finely-sculptured  entrance  to  a  massive  building.  The 
doors  of  this  entrance  stand  invitingly  open,  so  we  pass 
through  the  street  portal  down  through  the  garden,  the 
wafted  incense  of  the  flowers  pleasantly  greeting  us  as  we 
go.  We  pass  in  through  the  carved  entrance  beyond 
and  find  ourselves  within  the  chapel  of  the  old  historic 
Church  of  St.  Francis.  Its  proportions  are  striking  and 
imposing.  Lighted  from  above  by  two  massive  domes,  all 
of  stone  (for  there  is  not  a  piece  of  wood  in  the  building 
except  the  doors,  windows,  and  floor),  the  light  is  soft  and 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  We  see  it  is  carpeted  and  provided 
with  chairs  for  the  congregation,  and  at  the  farther  end  we 
note  the  old  familiar  lectern.  It  is  early  yet ;  the  congre¬ 
gation  have  not  begun  to  arrive,  so  we  pass  through  one 
side  of  the  chapel,  and  by  a  door  at  the  other  side  enter 
the  main  building.  If  we  thought  the  proportions  of  the 
chapel  imposing,  what  shall  we  say  of  this?  More  than 
four  times  the  size  of  the  chapel,  it  is  simply  a  temple  of 
magnificent  distances.  We  are  held  in  awe  for  a  moment 
as  we  gaze  aloft  at  the  bold  arches  and  vaulted  domes,  and 
at  the  chancel  bevond,  which  is  an  arched  recess  of  the  full 
width  and  height  of  the  entire  building.  This  was  once 
the  Cathedral  Church  of  the  Roman  Power  in  Mexico. 
How  meet  that  it  should  become  under  the  Providence  of 
God,  in  turn,  the  center  of  a  true  Church  and  the  pure 
Gospel  of  Christ ! 

The  Church  has  been  so  poor  that  she  has  not  been  able 
to  use  this  splendid  temple.  Now  we  notice  men  at  work 
repairing,  and  perhaps  in  the  not  far  distant  future,  up 
through  those  glorious  domes  and  arches,  may  yet  arise 
the  pure  incense  of  prayer  and  of  praise.  As  we  stand  lost 
in  contemplation  we  suddenly  hear  the  tinkle  of  a  bell,  a 
door  opens  in  the  transept  at  the  right  of  the  chancel,  and 
a  troop  of  happy-faced  boys,  about  sixty-one  in  number, 


7 


march  in  procession  through  the  church  into  the  chapel. 
They  are  the  pupils  of  the  St.  Francis  Church  School.  The 
daily  five  o’clock  service  is  about  to  commence,  so  vve  will 
pass  in  after  them.  We  take  our  seats  near  the  garden  en¬ 
trance.  Soon,  down  the  broad  flower-lined  avenue  we  see 
advancing  a  procession  of  girls  of  all  ages  and  conditions. 
We  count  them  as  they  pass  in  by  twos  and  take  their 
seats.  There  are  fifty  of  them.  They  are  the  pupils  of 
our  Girls’  Church  Boarding-School  and  Orphanage.  An¬ 
other  procession  of  girls,  numbering  about  seventy,  soon 
enter  from  the  street,  file  in  and  take  their  seats  quietly 
and  reverently.  They  belong  to  another  of  our  Church 
schools,  superintended  by  Mrs.  Martinez,  who  devotes  all 
her  time,  energy,  and  the  love  of  a  full  heart  in  caring  for 
it,  and  without  a  dollar’s  remuneration.  Surely  we  reflect, 
this  Church  must  be  doing  an  earnest  work,  when  it  is 
looking  out  so  carefully  for  the  rising  generation.  Seven 
young  men,  of  earnest  features  and  reverent  demeanor, 
next  come  down  through  the  garden  avenue,  and 
file  in  next  to  the  organ.  They  are  the  students  of  the 
Church  Theological  Seminary.  Immediately  behind  them 
come  the  Faculty,  Rev.  H.  C.  Riley,  President;  Rev. 
Tomas  Valdespino,  Professor  of  Theology  and  Oratory; 
Rev.  J.  Medina,  Professor  of  Hebrew,  and  Mr.  Rhoda- 
kanakv,  a  native  Greek,  Professor  of  the  Greek  Language 
and  Literature.  In  addition  to  these  Professors,  there  will 
soon  be  a  Chair  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  to  fill  which  a 
native  Mexican  and  church  member  has  nearly  finished  his 
studies.  Few  theological  schools  have  the  talented  Faculty 
of  this,  and  it  is  justly  a  joy  of  this  Church,  and  is  one  of  the 
brightest  hopes  for  its  future  welfare.  Other  persons  come 
in  by  ones  and  twos,  and  soon  the  chapel  is  nearly  full. 
Suddenly,  from  the  side  door  of  the  chancel,  four  persons 
appear,  wearing  the  old  familiar  white  robes  of  the  Church 
Catholic.  They  pass  to  either  side  and  kneel.  The  con¬ 
gregation  kneel  with  them,  and  there  are  a  few  minutes  of 
silent  prayer.  Let  us  speak  of  those  in  the  chancel.  The 
first  on  the  left,  with  gray  hair  and  flowing  gray  beard,  is 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Maruri,  formerly  an  old  “  comandante  ’’  in 


8 


the  army,  and  who  has  turned,  like  Paul,  all  his  military 
zeal  and  energy  into  the  cause  of  Christ  and  His  Church  ; 
and  who,  though  offered  lucrative  positions  in  Government 


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Rev.  HENRY  CHAUNCEY  RILEY,  D.D., 


BISHOP-ELECT  OF  THE  MEXICAN  BRANCH  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


employ,  steadily  refuses,  preferring  poverty  and  his  minis¬ 
try.  Beyond  him  is  the  pastor  of  this  church,  the  Rev. 
Tomas  Valdespino,  a  man  whose  Christian  zeal  and  elo- 


9 


quence  would  soon  make  him  famous  in  the  American  or 
English  Church.  More  often  than  not  a  tear  may  be  seen 
here  and  there  among  his  hearers,  as  they  listen  to  his 
touching  appeals  and  his  vivid  portrayals  of  the  sacrifice 
and  immortal  sufferings  of  our  Crucified  Redeemer.  The 
first  figure  kneeling  on  the  right  is  the  Rev.  Henry  C. 
Riley,  a  man  whose  devotion  and  self-abnegation  in  the 
cause  of  the  Church  militant  have  few  parallels  in  the  his¬ 
tory  of  the  American  Church.  He  has  labored  here  and 
in  the  United  States  for  this  Mexican  Church  since  1869, 
with  a  faith  that  seems  to  surmount  all  obstacles,  and  to 
remove  mountains  of  difficulties.  Besides  laboring  with¬ 
out  remuneration,  except  the  faith  and  joy  in  his  heart,  he 
has  spent  over  $40,000,  a  large  part  of  his  own  means,  in 
trying  to  build  it  up  and  place  it  on  a  sure  foundation. 
But  the  time  has  come  when  he  can  no  longer  do  what  he 
has  done,  and  he  is  looking  with  an  anxiety  beyond  words  to 
see  if  our  sister  Church  will  help  him  to  save  the  precious 
plant,  toiled  for  so  arduously  and  prayed  for  so  earnestly. 
God  in  His  mercy  grant  this  noble  soul  may  not  experience 
seeing  an  absorbing  hope  of  his  life  fade  away  through  our 
neglect.  Beyond  him  kneels  a  man  of  singular  history,  the 
Rev.  Ramon  Betancourt.  He  was  a  bandit  once,  and  the 
terror  of  the  Island  of  Cuba.  Some  years  ago  in  New 
York,  impelled  by  his  Roman  fanaticism,  he  attended  the 
Spanish  service  of  Dr.  Riley,  armed  with  a  knife  to  assassi¬ 
nate  him. 

The  lesson  read  and  the  sermon  were  on  the  conversion 
of  St.  Paul.  Betancourt  felt  his  position  so  similar  to  that 
of  Paul,  that  every  word  came  to  him  as  a  personal  appeal, 
and  instead  of  leaving  the  church  a  fugitive  from  justice, 
with  the  blood  of  another  fellpw-creature  on  his  soul,  he 
left  it  with  the  Word  of  God  in  his  hands,  and  is  now 
laboring  for  this  church  with  a  zeal  that  laughs  at  poverty, 
exposure,  and  death  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Ministers  and  congregation  rise  and  a  hymn  is  an¬ 
nounced.  Ah  !  what  a  flood  of  song  arises  to  and  rings 
through  the  vaulted  arches.  There  are  no  silent  voices 
here  of  man,  woman,  nor  child.  The  congregation  seated, 


IO 


the  opening  sentences  of  the  liturgy  are  read,  consisting  of 
passages  of  Scripture,  rich  in  their  doctrinal  simplicity  and 
completeness.  The  regular  order  of  its  liturgy  follows, 
and  the  responses  are  spoken  out  with  a  heartiness  which 
carries  a  deep  significance  with  it  to  the  hearer,  and  be¬ 
speaks  an  evidence  of  the  strong  hold  which  this  little 
National  Episcopal  Church  has  on  the  hearts  of  its  people. 
Here  is  an  earnestness  and  fervor  which  goes  deep  down 
into  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  which  make 
us  feel  ashamed  of  the  lukewarm  half-whispered  responses 
so  often  heard  in  our  churches  at  home.  The  Benediction 
— “  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  love  of  God, 
and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with  us  all,” 
pronounced  by  every  one,  concludes  the  service. 

The  children  of  the  various  schools,  and  the  students, 
file  out  in  order,  singing  a  grand  processional  hymn,  and 
we  follow  them  out  through  the  garden  of  sweets  from  our 
visit  to  the  chapel  of  the  old  historic  church,  bearing  with 
us  the  grateful  sense  of  a  spiritual  refreshment,  sweeter  than 
the  perfume  of  the  flowers  we  have  passed  through. 

Every  morning  at  eight  o’clock,  and  every  afternoon  at 
five,  through  the  week-days,  the  same  scene  takes  place. 
In  addition  to  this  there  is  the  full  Wednesday  evening 
service  and  sermon.  On  Sunday,  morning  service,  sermon, 
and  Sunday-school — communion  service;  and  evening,  ser¬ 
vice  and  sermon. 

We  are  in  the  street  of  St.  Francis  again.  Following 
our  course  by  the  same  street,  or  series  of  streets,  we  pass 
five  blocks,  and  at  the  left  hand,  at  the  corner  of  the  sixth, 
we  see  a  large,  attractive  sign,  bearing  the  words,  “  Las 
Sagradas  Escrituras,”  painted  in  block-letters  of  white, 
shaded  with  gold,  on  a  rich  crimson  background.  In  the 
windows  are  displayed,  in  various  and  attractive  bindings, 
the  Word  of  Salvation.  We  notice  several  persons  stand¬ 
ing  at  them,  reading  from  some  of  the  books  that  lay  open 
for  perusal.  One  of  them,  evidently  an  “aquador”  or 
“  water-carrier,”  by  the  pad  he  carries  on  his  back,  is  ear¬ 
nestly  reading  the  Decalogue,  and  very  likely,  poor  fellow, 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life.  This  is  the  depot  of  the 


American  Bible  Society,  lately  established  here,  in  a  most 
valuable  location  on  the  Broadway  of  Mexico,  secured  by 


Rev.  PRUDENCIO  G.  HERNANDEZ, 

BISHOP-ELECT  OF  THE  MEXICAN  BRANCH  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


the  energy  and  judgment  of  its  agent,  Dr.  Gore,  and  is 
beginning  to  secure  a  respect  and  attention  that  is  leading 


i  2 


its  friends  here  to  hope  that  a  new  era  is  being  inaugurated 
lor  the  Bible  cause  in  this  land.  Passing  on  one  block 
further,  we  enter  on  the  principal  square  of  Mexico,  called 
the  “  Plaza  de  Armas.”  In  the  center  is  a  beautiful  garden, 
with  fountains,  seats,  and  walks,  exquisitely  cared  for.  On 
the  opposite  side  is  an  immense  building,  occupying  an 
area  of  four  blocks,  known  as  the  “  Palace,”  the  head¬ 
quarters  of  the  Government  and  residence  of  the  President. 
Occupying  all  the  left  side  is  the  Great  Cathedral  and 
inclosure,  said  to  be  the  largest  church  building  on  the 
American  continent.  We  pass  through  the  garden  diago¬ 
nally  to  the  right,  cross  the  square,  and  turn  into  the  street 
parallel  with  the  facade  of  the  “  Palace.”  Pursuing  our 
way  for  the  distance  of  five  blocks,  we  turn  to  the  left,  and 
behold  on  our  right,  occupying  the  middle  of  the  block,  a 
large  building  with  domes  and  bell-tower  on  the  corner 
this  way.  This  is  the  church  of  “  San  Jose  de  Gracia,” 
and  is  a  prize  secured  to  this  Mexican  branch  of  the  Church 


CHURCH  OF  SAN  JOSE  DE  GRACIA,  OF  THE  MEXICAN  BRANCH  OF 
THE  CHURCH,  CITY  OF  MEXICO. 


*3 


by  a  former  President,  Benito  Juarez.  We  enter  it.  It  is 
of  the  same  architectural  stamp  as  that  of  St.  Francis,  but 
somewhat  smaller;  and  had  we  not  just  come  from  the  lat¬ 
ter  we  should  spend  a  longer  time  in  gazing  at  its  domes 
and  arches  than  we  now  do.  The  regular  service  soon 
commences.  The  congregation  is  smaller  than  that  of  St. 
Francis,  but  there  is  the  same  fervor  and  earnestness. 

On  the  right  are  some  thirty-six  boys  from  the  Orphan¬ 
age  of  “San  Antonio  Abad,”  located  on  the  southern  out¬ 
skirts  of  the  City.  This  Orphanage  is  presided  over  by 
Mrs.  Ponce  de  Leon,  a  very  intelligent,  earnest  Christian 
woman,  formerly  an  exceedingly  devoted  Romanist,  who 
held  her  images  of  the  Virgin  and  Saints  in  most  sacred  es¬ 
timation,  but  who  one  day  got  hold  of  a  Bible,  read  the 
second  Commandment,  and  became  at  once  so  thoroughly 
convinced  of  her  error  that  she  immediately  took  down  her 
formerly  worshiped  picture  and  burned  it. 

The  building  of  “  San  Antonio  Abad,”  where  the  orphans 
are  cared  for,  is  an  old  Monastery,  and  occupies,  with  its 
grounds  and  chapel,  a  whole  square.  What  an  army  of 
children  could  be  here  gathered  from  our  country  congre¬ 
gations,  where  there  is  often  absolutely  no  opportunity  for 
Christian  education  —  and  this  with  the  help  of  a  very  little 
money.  But  to  return.  The  service  proceeds,  and  we  join 
in  the  prayers  and  praises  and  feel  a  love  and  warmth  again 
steal  around  our  hearts,  and  when  it  concludes  we  join  in 
the  dear  old  familiar  benediction,  which  here  is  a  prayer, 
with  a  conviction  that  the  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  indeed  most  blessedly  with  these  earnest  people,  and  we 
slowly  wend  our  way  homeward,  feeling  that  the  evidences 
we  have  seen  in  our  short  afternoon  and  evening  stroll,  of 
the  great  Christian  work  going  on  here  has  warmed  our 
hearts  and  strengthened  our  faith  in  the  power  of  the  Sword 
of  the  Spirit  which  is  the  Word  of  God  ;  and  in  the  Church 
Militant  as  its  guardian  and  disseminator.  And  when  we 
reflect  that  all  this  which  has  so  warmed  our  hearts  and 
strengthened  our  faith  is  but  a  fragment  of  what  is  going 
on  throughout  the  nation,  evidences  of  which  are  brought 
most  touchingly  to  our  notice  by  persons  frequently  coming 


14 


to  this  center  of  Christian  work,  from  the  many  congrega¬ 
tions  working  for  the  Master  in  other  parts  of  the  Republic  ; 
when  we  who  have  fought  a  hard  fight  and  gained  an  oasis 
of  safety  here  in  the  Capital,  receive  ever  and  anon  some 
faithful  worker  from  a  distant  post,  bringing  a  tale  of  horri¬ 
ble  persecutions,  or  sometimes  the  account  of  a  martyr’s 
death,  bearing  on  his  own  person  at  times  the  marks  of 
wounds  suffered  for  their  faith,  or  again  bringing  in  joy 
thrilling  accounts  of  the  triumphs  of  the  truth;  we  feel 
our  hearts  too  full  for  utterance,  and  like  Jacob  wrestling 
with  the  Angel,  we  feel  like  wrestling  with  our  difficulties 
with  renewed  strength,  until  out  of  them  by  the  ministra¬ 
tions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  be  vouchsafed  the  blessing 
and  help  for  which  we  pray. 

Some  practical  mind  may,  after  reading  of  these  grand 
results  of  Christian  labor,  ask  for  what  are  funds  needed? 
Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  membership  of  this  Church 
has  been  gathered  from  the  poor  (and  poverty  has  a  deeper 
depth  here  than  in  our  own  enlightened  lands),  and  who, 
although  they  have  been  willing  to  suffer,  and  to  meet  dan¬ 
ger  and  persecution  in  working  for  the  Master,  are  abso¬ 
lutely  without  means  to  sustain  the  Christian  work  of  this 
branch  of  Christ’s  Church. 

Those  earnest  clergymen  who  are  seeking  to  guide  and 
educate  it;  those  faithful  teachers  in  our  church-schools ; 
those  devoted  missionaries  that  are  traveling  from  point  to 
point,  visiting  our  many  country  congregations  ;  all  these 
laborers  (and  how  few  they  are  for  the  magnitude  of  the 
harvest  they  are  working  in)  are  absolutely  without  the 
necessary  funds  to  enable  them  to  devote  themselves  exclu¬ 
sively  to  Christian  effort,  and  to  meet  the  expenses  of  build¬ 
ing  up  a  pure  branch  of  the  Church  in  a  hostile  field  like 
this,  unless  Christians  in  other  lands  generously,  from  love 
to  the  Master,  contribute  the  necessary  funds  for  the  bare 
necessities  of  the  work. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  whole  sum  asked  for,  com¬ 
pared  with  the  importance  and  extent  of  the  object,  is  much 
less  than  is  usually  spent  in  many  Christian  missions.  We 
would  reiterate  our  earnest  petition,  that  the  responsibility 


i5 


of  raising  the  sum  of  $25,000  per  annum  be  distributed 
among  our  different  churches  and  Sunday-schools,  and 
among  those  whom  God  has  made  the  stewards  of  ample 
worldly  means.  In  this  way,  the  needed  funds  to  continue 
this  Christian  work  can  easily  be  raised. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  whoever  you  may  be,  you  can  do 
something  to  help  us  if  you  only  will.  As  you  read  this,  let 
the  Holy  Spirit  warm  your  heart  to  an  effort,  and  the  bene¬ 
diction  of  our  Blessed  Master  shall  rest  on  you  and  on  us, 
here  and  there,  who  give  even  so  much  as  a  cup  of  cold 
water  tor  the  sake  of  Christ  and  His  Church. 

Albert  E.  Mackintosh, 
Treasurer  of  the  Mexican  Branch  of  the  Church. 

Mary  Josephine  Hooker, 
Directress  of  Girls’  Church-School  and  Orphanage 
of  Church  of  Jesus. 

Anna  Grut, 

Correspondent  of  the  “  Mexican  League”  in  Mexico. 


In  presenting  this  appeal  for  the  noble  and  promising 
work  in  Mexico,  from  those  who  “speak  that  they  do 
know,  and  testify  that  they  have  seen,”  the  League  asks  for 
the  prayerful  consideration  and  generous  response  of  the 
members  of  our  own  Branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

The  infant  Church  in  Mexico  is  most  grateful  for  the  aid 
and  countenance  already  extended  to  it,  but  its  rapid  and 
vigorous  growth  naturally  demands  an  enlargement  of  our 
gifts. 

It  is  an  evidence  of  progress  and  a  cause  for  Christian 
rejoicing  that  the  yearly  sum  of  $20,000,  deemed  necessary 
for  its  support  in  1875,  should  be  inadequate  now.  For  its 
full  development,  $25,000  a  year  is  needed  and  earnestly 
solicited. 

It  is  a  solemn  question — Shall  we  embrace  or  not  the 
grand  opportunity  now  offered  us,  of  establishing  on  firm 
foundations,  a  sister  Episcopal  Church,  primitive  and  his- 


1 6 


toric  ?  Such  a  Church  is  the  desire  of  the  native  Mexicans. 
Such  a  Church  we  desire  to  give  them. 

“  But,”  to  use  the  words  of  Bishop  Lee,  of  Delaware, 
“this  much  we  may  learn:  if  we  withhold  the  hand  of  fel¬ 
lowship,  the  cordial  God-speed  and  substantial  evidences 
of  sympathy,  there  are  organized  societies  all  ready  to 

grasp  the  opportunities  which  we  neglect . Let  our 

Church  respond  with  one  heart  to  a  call  so  unwonted  and 
so  urgent.” 

For  the  League  : 

C.  A.  Hamilton, 

Corresponding  Secretary. 


Contributions  sJiould  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  League , 
Miss  M.  A.  Stewart  Brown ,  care  of  Messrs.  Brozvn  Brothers  & 
Co.,  59  Wall  Street .  New  York,  U.  S. 

- H - 

By  addressing  the  Rev.  Abbott  Brown,  General  Secre- 
tary,  care  of  Messrs.  Brown  Brothers  &  Co.,  No.  59  Wall 
Street,  N.  Y.,  parishes  may  have  the  subject  presented  by  him , 
and  pamphlets  containing  information  as  to  the  zvork  zvill  be 
gladly  sent  in  any  number  required. 


